(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Now the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.
Each week we explore the meaning and origin of American English expressions.
Today, I want you to look at your hand. The hand is an amazing tool. With it, we humans have done many wonderful things.
Of course, human hands have also done some not so wonderful things. But today, let's focus on the wonderful things. For those, we should thank the thumb.
You could say the thumb made us humans what we are. Its development was as important an event in man's growth as his success in learning how to walk upright.
Our opposable thumbs, as we call them, allow us to work with our fingers. Opposable thumbs also allow us to grab and pick up things. Scientists say without our opposable thumbs, humans might not have survived.
The thumb is so important that we have a couple phrases to express its power.
The first power thumb expression is the rule of thumb. These are not rules about how to use your thumb. A rule of thumb is a general principle developed through experiments rather than scientific study.
Another power thumb expression, is to be under someone's thumb which is not a good place to be. When a person is ruled by another, completely controlled by someone else, we say the person is under the other's thumb.
For example, a sick woman may find herself under the thumb of a greedy relative. The relative wants to inherit the woman's money. He says he will take care of all her finances while she is ill. Soon, he does not buy her medicine or doctor appointments. The woman's health gets worse and worse, but she can't do anything about it. She is completely under his thumb.
If this woman had control of her own money, she would not be under this man's thumb. In fact, she could thumb her nose at him. Thumbing your nose at someone is showing a person disrespect and disregard. This expression can also be used for things that you don't respect, for example a type of literature or art or music, or even a law.
No matter how you use your thumb, each hand has only one. And that's a good thing. Two or three thumbs on a hand might make doing things hard. In fact, that is how we describe people who are clumsy. We say they are all thumbs.
Anyone can be all thumbs. You know the feeling. You're in the kitchen cooking dinner and you keep dropping things -- the spices, the broccoli, the knife. All go crashing to the floor.
You might say, "What is wrong with me today? I'm all thumbs!"
So, it is a good thing that our hands are designed to have only one thumb. And if that thumb is green – even better!
Someone with a green thumb is really good at growing plants. Let's say the balcony of a neighbor's apartment has a beautiful flower and herb garden.
Her roses and begonias are big and fragrant. Her parsley, chives and cilantro are so plentiful that she shares them with all her neighbors.
As she gives a bunch of fresh herbs and flowers to you in the elevator one day, you say, "These came from your balcony garden? Wow, you really have a green thumb. I can't get anything to grow on my balcony!"
So, the thumb is helpful and useful. In fact, waving your thumb at a driver used to be a way of getting ride. Hitchhiking was common in the U.S. decades ago. But thumbing a ride, as hitchhiking is also called, is no longer considered a safe way to travel. In fact, it is even illegal in some U.S. states.
However, giving someone a thumbs up is still legal and still common. Thumbs up means you approve something. Thumbs down means you don't. If a number of people are deciding on a yes or no question, someone can call for a thumbs up or thumbs down vote.
This expression comes from ancient Rome when gladiators fought for their lives in the public arena. The crowd decided if the fighter was to live or die. A defeated gladiator would lower his arms as a sign of surrender. If the crowd turned up their thumbs he would be allowed to live. But if the crowd gave the thumbs down, he would be killed.
These days a thumbs up or thumbs down vote can be important but not so ... violent.
And that brings us to the end of another Words and Their Stories. If someone asks you if you enjoyed this show, we hope you give us a thumbs up.
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
1.Let's say 比如说，比方说
Let's say, if you absorb me, when you are gone I am back to myself.
比如说，如果你吸引了我，当你离开时，我就会回到自己原来的样子。
2.thumb a ride 搭便车；竖起大拇指向过路汽车作手势要求搭车
Not having much money, john decide to thumb a ride to Los Angeles.
约翰没有多少钱，便决定搭便车去洛杉矶。
3.call for 要求；需要；提倡；邀请；为······叫喊
It's a situation that calls for a blend of delicacy and force.
这种情况下需要的是刚柔并济。
参考译文
这里是VOA学英语《词汇掌故》节目。
每周我们都会带你一起探索美语表达的起源与意义。
今天，我希望你看看你的手。手是神奇的工具。凭借它，我们人类做了许多很棒的事情。
当然，人类的手也做了一些不是那么美好的事情。但今天，让我们只关注美好的事情。对于那些，我们应该感谢大拇指。
你可以说大拇指造就了我们人类。它的形成是人类进化史上的一个大事件，这标志着人成功地学会了直立行走。
我们所说的“对生拇指”使得我们能够和其它手指合作，对生拇指也使我们能够抓和捡取东西。科学家说，没有对生拇指，我们也许就没法生存。
拇指是如此重要，所以我们有几个表达它的威力的短语。
第一个短语是“the rule of thumb”。这些不是指使用拇指的规则。“A rule of thumb”是在经验中而不是科学研究中形成的普遍的法则。
另一个短语是“under someone's thumb”，一个人的拇指下面不是个好地方。当一个人被另一个人管束，完全被别人控制，我们说这个人在某人的控制之下（under the other's thumb）。
例如，一个生病的女人也许发现自己被一个贪婪的亲戚控制着。这个亲戚想继承这个女人的钱财。他说在她生病期间，他会管理好她所有的资产。很快，他没有给她买药或者给她看医生。这个女人的身体越来越差，但她对这一切都无能为力。她完全被他的亲戚管控了。
如果这个女人自己管着自己的钱，她就不会被那个男人控制住了。实际上她可以对他嗤之以鼻（thumb her nose at him）。“Thumbing your nose at someone”是对一个人轻蔑和漠视。这个短语也能用来表达你对某物的不屑，比如一种文学类型或者艺术或者音乐类型，甚至一部法律。
无论你怎么使你的拇指，每只手只有一根拇指。这是件好事。一只手有两根或者三根拇指也许做事情还困难了。事实上，当要描述某人笨拙时，我们就用“they are all thumbs”这个短语。
任何人都有笨手笨脚的时候（be all thumbs），你知道这种感受。你正在厨房煮晚饭，东西不停地掉在地上，香料、西蓝花和刀。
你也许会说，“我今天怎么了，笨手笨脚得！”
所以，我们每只手天生只有一根拇指真是件好事。如果那是个园艺高手的拇指那就更好了。
园艺高手（a green thumb）是指擅长种植植物的人。假设你邻居公寓的阳台上有一个美丽的花草园。
她的玫瑰和秋海棠朵大花香。她种的西芹，香葱，香菜如此之多，给我们所有邻居都分了点。
由于某天电梯里她给了你一大束新鲜的香草和花朵，你可能会说，“这些都是出自你的阳台花园？哇，你真是园艺高手。我在阳台上啥也种不出来！”
所以，拇指有益又有用。实际上，向司机挥舞大拇指原本是一种搭顺风车的方式。几十年前，搭便车在美国很常见。但是搭便车不再被认为是旅行的一种安全方法。实际上，这种行为在美国的一些地方甚至是非法的。
然而，给别人竖大拇指（giving someone a thumbs up）还是合法并常见的。竖大拇指（Thumbs up）意味着你赞成某事。向下竖拇指（Thumbs down）意味着你不赞成。如果一群人正在决定一个是非问题，可以提倡一个赞成或反对的投票。
这个表达源自古老的罗马，那时角斗士在公共竞技场为生命而战。观众决定角斗士是生是死。战败的角斗士垂下双臂表示投降。如果观众竖起他们的拇指，那这个角斗士就可以活下去。但如果观众拇指朝下，这个角斗士就死路一条。
如今赞成或者反对的投票可能很重要，但不会那么暴力。
到了《词汇掌故》的节目尾声了。如果某人问你是否喜欢这个节目，我们希望你给我们竖个大拇指（赞成）。
我是安娜·马特奥。
